Eat this Word: Madeleine

by jbfauthor on March 28, 2011

WHAT? Sweet seashells. These delicate, scallop-shaped cookies have a history that long predates Proust's memory stimulant. Culinaria France recounts what sounds like a legend to us, that the cookies first became popular back in the 18th-century, when the Duke of Lorraine, a consummate party host, found himself short a pastry chef while entertaining one night. With no time to spare, the Duke was forced to turn to his chambermaid Madeleine to create sweets for his guests. She whipped up her grandmother's airy, bite-sized cakes and, thus, the madeleine was born. Chances are her grandmother, if she existed, came from Commercy, the town whose bakers have been known for centuries throughout France for their delicate, hump-back madeleines. The batter is a simple mixture of eggs, sugar, and flour; it is a molded pan that gives madeleines their distinct appearance. When fresh from the oven, the cakey cookies have a moist and light interior and crisp outer

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On the Menu: Shenandoah Splendor

by jbfauthor on March 23, 2011

The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia

Surrounded by Virginia’s majestic Allegheny Mountains, the luxurious Homestead resort offers guests a charming and historic Shenandoah Valley getaway. Nowhere is that distinctive Southern charm more fully on display than in the resort’s elegant dining room, where executive chef Mark Gallaudet serves playful renditions of classic regional dishes. Gallaudet and his team, Tom Ruth, Todd Bemis, and Pastry Chef Michel Finel, will present their tempting cuisine at tonight's Beard House dinner, and reservations are still available. Check out the menu below, then click here to secure your seat. Hors d’Oeuvre Lamb Rillettes with Stone-

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On the Menu: March 20 through March 26

by jbfauthor on March 18, 2011

Here’s what’s happening at the Beard House and around the country next week: Sunday, March 20, 5:30 P.M. James Beard in Oregon It’s no accident that we’ve chosen Jim Beard’s birthplace as the site of our 2011 JBF Awards Nominee Announcement. Guests at this spectacular dinner will be treated to a meal prepared by the best chefs in Portland, Oregon, many of them past JBF Award winners themselves. Monday, March 21, 7:00 P.M. Simplicity Refined A culinary wünderkind whose résumé includes stints with Charlie Trotter and at Michelin-starred restaurants in his native Austria, Markus Glocker now helms Gordon Ramsay at the London,

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Eye Candy: Resto Burgers

by jbfauthor on March 15, 2011

At our annual Burger Bash, New York chefs put their spin on one of America's favorite foods. Resto chef Bobby Hellen combined beef cheek and aged strip for his patties, then topped them with grilled pickled red onions and Pyrenees Brebis cheese. It was all sandwiched between potato buns and crowned with tête de cochon croquettes. See more photos from the Burger Bash here.

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